Within the broad framework of the professional goals of an open university, this paper discusses the role, structure and functions of libraries and strategies for their future development in distance open education institutions. The discussion is conducted with particular reference to the three-tier library system of the Indira Gandhi National Open University: with its network of libraries which originates at the Headquarters, and covers the Regional and Study Centres. Appropriately, broad contrasts are drawn with the libraries of the conventional universities.

The paper examines acquisition and management for the various types of libraries of IGNOU and information services which are provided to diverse clientele. It enumerates the various problems faced by the libraries of the open universities in the process of providing satisfactory services to learners.

The paper concludes with a comment on the need to argument the scarce resources -- collections, financial and human -- of distance education libraries by seeking cooperation from all types of libraries, viz. academic, special and public, for purposes of providing efficient services to distance learners be they in formal or non-formal streams of education.